The Browns would like everyone to know that they'll ease Josh Gordon into their offense.
Problem is, no one is believing it.
Falcons head coach Mike Smith (now in first place!) expects Gordon, the NFL's best receiver in 2013, to be an instant game-changer for Cleveland's sputtering offense now that he's returned from suspension.
"Absolutely I do," Smith said, via ESPN.com. "They've stated that they want to get him out on the field as quickly as possible. And he's a game-changer. He's a guy that with the ball in his hands, he can make plays. So we're anticipating that we're going to get a full dose of him this week."
Smith was already talking about having his best cornerback, Desmond Trufant, used in a possible shadow role on Sunday.
While it might be surprising to see Gordon explode right away in a completely different offense, he still has a rapport with Brian Hoyer and he's still one of the most explosive receivers in football.
If nothing else, he's going to start freeing up some opportunities across the board, which should make for an interesting second half in Cleveland.
Ideally, if Gordon could help take some of the pressure off the Browns' struggling run game, Hoyer could get back to being the quarterback he was during the team's winning streak.
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